Typewriting machine



Feb. 11, 1936. w. A. DOBSON 2,030,056

TYPEWRITING MACHINE Filed June 21, 1953 2 Sheets-Shes? 1 VENTOR Feb. 11,1936. wg'A. DOBSON y zomose TYIfEWRI-IING MACHINE v x 7 Filed June 21,1953 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 n 1 I 4 pi W.

Patented Feb. 11, 1936 I UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE mnwm'rme mcnnmApplication June 21, 1933, Serial No. 670,900

10 Claims.

This invention relates to typewriting machines, and particularly toimprovements in means for mounting and guiding the platen-carriage forcase-shift movements, and for adjusting the platen relatively to thetype-faces for securing evenness of type impressions.

I provide opposite =raceways for anti-friction rollers, said racewaysextending in the direction of the case-shift movement of thecarriage-track frame. The anti-friction bearing thus formed at each endof the platen-frame takes up the end thrust and is localized, therebeing but a single roller in the form of a ball playing in each pair ofraceways. Co-operating with the localized anti-friction bearings, basedon foundation plates, to guide the shift frame in case-shiftingdirection, is the lower pair of swing-arms fastened to a cross-shaftwhich is journaled in the foundation plates, said swing-arms beingpivotally connected with the shiftable platen-supporting frame.

The foundation plates abut facewise the inner sides of side members ofthe main framework. Instead of milling a recess in said side members forguiding the foundation plates, said side members are provided at littlecost with novel lugs which fit the foundation plates to slidably guidethe latter in the direction in which they are adjusted for bringing theplaten further from or nearer to the type-faces. Binding screws securethe foundation plates in adjusted position. Each foundation plate may bemoved by means of an eccentric collared stud which passes through thefoundation plate and the adjacent main frame side member.

The foundation plates also include adjustable stops for determining thecase-shift positions of the shiftable platen-supporting frame. Saidstops are broadly faced with cushioning material and are provided oneach foundation plate. The aforesaid swing-arms are each provided withnovel ends which are transversely broadened to form spatulate stop facesco-acting with said broad stops on the foundation plates.

The anti-friction bearings are adjustable for the purpose of securingproper coaction of the balls with the raceways. To this end, one of theraceways, preferably the one carried by one of the foundation plates, isformed in an adjustable block which has an inclined seating against thefoundation plate. Said seating slopes relatively to the raceway so thatwhen the block is adjusted in a direction lengthwise of its raceway, thelatter is adjusted toward or from the companion raceway on the shiftframe. Adjustment of the block may effect adjustment of the raceways atboth sides of the shift frame. The seating for said block may be oftongue-and-groove form so as to maintain the raceway in the block parallel to the companion raceway at all adjust- 5 ments. Since theanti-friction bearings are based on thefoundation plates, the latter maybe freely moved for effecting adjustment of the platen relative to thetype-faces. 1

Other features and advantages will herein- 10 after appear.

In the accompanying drawings,

Figure 1 is a perspective view illustrating the novel case-shiftingorganization, some of the parts being shown in section for clearillustra= 15 ion.

Figure 2 is a front elevation view showing the shift frame, swing-arms,and the anti-friction bearings at the ends of said shift frame.

Figure 3 is a side elevation view showing the g shift frame inupper-case position.

Figure 4 is a sectional plan view showing details of the shift frame,foundation plates and the mounting of the latter on the main frame sidemembers. 25

Figure 5 is a perspective view showing the parts forming theanti-friction bearing at one end of the shift frame separated in orderto bring out details of construction.

Figure 6 is a cross-sectional side elevation of 30 the typewritingmachine showing the case-shifting mechanism in lower-case position.

In the herein-represented typewriter, I0 is one of the usualkey-operated type-bars pivoted in a segment ll, mounted on a bridge l2,fas- 5 tened to left and right side members I3, I 4 of thetypewriter-framework which. includes a rear cross-bar IS, a frontcross-plate l6, and an intermediate cross-bar H. The usualletter-feeding carriage l8 includes a platen l9, journaled in 40 sideplates 20 upstanding from a truck 2| guided by means of anti-frictionrollers 22 along rails 23.

Each type-bar l0 carries lower and upper case types 25, 26, and, inorder that the carriage l8 and its platen l9 may be shifted betweenlower- 5 case position, Figure 6, and upper-case position, Figure 3, thecarriage-rails 23 are parts of a shift frame which includes end plates28 rigidly joined to a cross-plate 29 having a flange 30, to which therear rail 23 is fastened by screws 3|. 50 The front rail 23 is fastenedby screws 33 to lugs 32 of said end plates. The shift frame is supportedand guided for movement in case-shift direction by means of a novelorganization, which will now be described. 55

The type-bars iii have their printing movement limited by means of theusual stop-surfaces 35 presented by the segment H. For adjustment of theplaten i toward or from the types 25, 26, the shift-frame supporting andguiding means are carried by foundation plates 31, 38, shiftable in thedirection of said adjustment and normally fastened to the inner faces ofthe main frame side members I3, I 4 respectively, as will be described.Journaled in the foundation plates 31, 38, is a cross-shaft 48, to whichare fastened arms 4i, facing the outer sides of the shift-frame endplates 28, and having inwardly-extending studs 42. Each shift-frameplate 28 has a notch 44, by means of which it is pivotally seated upon astud 42-. Each shift-frame plate 28 has the usual catch 45 whose hook 46may be set under the stud 42 to normally prevent upward displacement ofthe shift frame relative to said stud. Each catch 45 is secured to itsplate 28 by the usual screw-and-slot connection 41 which provides forclose adjustment of the hook 46 against the stud 42.

By means of the described connections, the swingable frame, comprisingthe cross-shaft 40, arms 4|, and studs 42, guides the shift frame at itslower portion in case-shift direction, it being obvious that theswing-arm studs 42, in swinging between the Figure 3 and Figure 6positions, describe a path which substantially coincides with saidcase-shift direction.

Co-operative with the swing-frame 48, 4|, 42, to guide the shift framein case-shift direction, and at the same time to minimize end-thrustfriction, are novel anti-friction devices. Each shift-frame plate 28 hasa raceway 49 extending in case-shift direction and facing a parallelraceway 58 presented by the companion foundation plate 31 or 38. Asingle anti-friction roller, in the form of a ball plays in each pair ofraceways 49, 50. The anti-friction balls 5| are pinched tightly enoughbetween their raceways so as to roll at the case-shift movements of thedescribed shift frame. Provision is made to adjust the raceways, to thuspinch the balls, and, to this end, one of the foundation plates, theplate '31, may have its raceway 50 formed in a block 53 having atongue-and-groove seating 54 against said plate 31.

Viewed as in Figure 2, the seating 54 slopes relatively to the raceway50, so that movement of the block 53 endwise in proper direction(downward as indicated) forces the companion ball 5| against the raceway49 of the shift frame, the latter being, in turn, forced towards theraceway 50 at the other end of the frame to pinch the other ball 5|. Thearticulated tongue and groove'of the seating 54 keeps the raceway 50 ofthe block 53 parallel with the raceway 49 at any adjusted position ofsaid block 53.

The block 53 is secured in adjusted position by a screw 56 threaded intosaid block and passing through an opening 51 of the foundation plate 31,which opening, as seen in Figure 5, is elongated in the direction ofblock adjustment. The head of said screw 56 may be seated in a recess58, Figure 4, of foundation plate 31, so as to clear the main frame sidemember l3 which said plate 31 abuts. Said side member l3 may have anopening 59, giving access to said screw 56.

Each main frame side member l3 or l4 has lugs 68, 6|, 62 to guide itscompanion foundation plate 31 or 38 in the direction in which the latteris adjusted to adjust the platen I9 in proper contact relation to thetype-bars [0 whose movement aosaoee toward the platen is limited by thestop 35. A

slot 63 in the foundation plate fits the lug Gil, and the lugs 6|, 62are spaced to fit the sides of an arm 64 of the foundation plate.

Each of the foundation plates 31, 38 receives a screw 65 having aneccentric collar 66 fitting a hole 61 in the companion main frame sidemember |3 or I4, said hole being elongated in a direction transverse ofthe adjusting direction of said plates 31,. 38. By turning the screw 65,the foundation plate 31 or 38, guided by the lugs 60-62, is moved toadjust the platen |9 relatively to the types 25, 26, as indicated bydotted outlines In Figure 6.

The foundation plates 31, 38 are each secured in adjusted position byscrews 68, which are threaded into the foundation plate and bind uponthe companion main frame side member |3 or l4, the latter havingscrew-receiving holes 69 elongated in the direction of foundationplateadjustment. Each foundation-plate-adjusting screw 65, 66 may have a nutco-operating with a head ll of said screw to hold the same in adjustedposition and to co-operate in securing the foundation plate.

At each side of the machine, is a case-shift key mounted upon acase-shift key-lever l2, fulcrumed upon a stud 13, which may projectfrom the side member |3 or l4. Each case-shift keylever I2 has an arm 14for engaging a corresponding swing-arm stud 42, and each shift-key lever12 has a spring 1211 which yieldably holds the lever in normal positiondetermined by abutment of a laterally-extended tongue ll of the leverwith the lug 60 of the main frame side member, as in Figures 2 and 6.Said tongue 11 may be bent to adjust the shift-key-lever arm 14 to abutthe swing-frame stud 42 when the platensupporting case-shift frame andassociated parts are in lower-case position as in Figure 6. Fordetermining said latter position and also the upper-case position, eachswing-arm 4| has, at its forward end, a portion 18 of the illustratedspatulate form to make broad contact with lower and upper case shiftstops l9 and 80, respectively. Each stop I9, 80 is of shock and noisereducing material, such as leather, and is retained in the cupped headof a screw 8| carried by an car 82 projecting laterally from thecompanion foundation plate 31 or 38. The two ears 82 and theirscrew-holes of each foundation plate need not be inclined since theswing-arm portion 18 may have its spatulate upper and lowerstop-surfaces inclined to one another to abut the stops I9, 80substantially fiatwise. The screws 8| are turned to bring theirrespective case-shift stops I9, 80 to proper positions, said screwsbeing looked after their adjustment by check-nuts 83.

It will be seen that the swing-frame 40, 4|, 42,

. in addition to equalizing the movements of the ends of the shift framefor preventing skewing of the latter, also has the function of guidingthe shift frame in case-shift direction in co-operation with thedescribed anti-friction devices. Thus said anti-friction devices at eachend of the shift frame may be localized. That is, each device may belimited to a single ball 5|, and the raceways 49, 50 may becorrespondingly short, thereby conducing to the feasibility of providinganti-friction bearings on the adjustable foundation plates 31, 38. Thelocalized anti-friction bearings are effective to take up all end thruston the shift frame. The swing-frame cross-shaft 40 may be tubular asindicated in Figure 2, the foundation plates 31, 38 having at their arms64 pivoting screws 85 arranged as in Figure 2 to rockably support saidshaft 88.

'Ihe adjustable raceway-block 53 spaces its raceway 58 inwardly from thebody of the foundation plate 31, as indicated in Figure4. The raceway 58at the opposite foundation plate 38 may be similarly spaced by formingit in a boss 88 of said plate 38. A similar but more shallow boss 81 onthe foundation plate 81, Figure 5, has one part of the seating 58 forthe block 53. The foundation plates 31, 38 may be made of sheet metalblanks. and, for facilitating formation of the bosses 86, 81 by apress-operation on the blanks, may have an opening 88 at the bottom ofeach boss.

The cross-bars l5, l1 of the framework cooperate to prevent spreading ofthe raceways 58 presented by the foundation plates 31, 38.

The invention is not limited to any specific way for forming the lugs60, 8|, 62 which guide the foundation plates 31, 38, such as castingthem with the framework side members 13, ll, or pressing them therefrom,or making them as separate pieces secured to said side members l3, H, asby welding or riveting; nor is it necessary always to form the lugs onthe side members l3, H. The provision of the lugs avoids the expansivemilling of a guiding recess for the foundation plate in each side memberl3, l4.

Variations may be resorted to within the scope of the invention, andportions of the improvements may be used without others.

Having thus described my invention, I claim:

1. In a typewriting machine, a case-shifting platen-frame, side membersspaced from the ends of said frame, and anti-friction rollers coactingwith said side members to guide said frame in case-shifting direct-ion.each frame-end having a roller-raceway facing a companion raceway in theside member, one of the raceways being formed in a wedge-shaped pieceadjustably fastened to an inclined seat, so that adjustment of saidpiece in the direction of its raceway determines the spacing of thelatter from the companion raceway, said adjustment being effective totake up play in the anti-friction bearings formed by the raceways androllers.

2. In a typewriting machine, a case-shifting platen-frame, side membersspaced from the ends of said frame, and anti-friction rollers coactingWith said side members to guide said frame in case-shifting direction,each frame-end having a roller-raceway facing a companion raceway in theside member, oneof the raceways being formed in a wedge-shaped pieceadjustably fastened to an inclined seat, so that adjustment of saidpiece in the direction of its raceway determines the spacing of thelatter from the companion raceway, said adjustment being effective totake up play in the anti-friction bearings formed by the raceways androllers, said seat and wedge-shaped piece being articulated to guidesaid piece so that the raceway of the latter is parallel to thecompanion raceway at any adjusted position of the piece.

3. A front-strike typewriting machine having a platen, a travelingplaten-carriage, a nontraveling frame mounting said carriage, and meansmounting and guiding said frame for caseshifting movement, said meansincluding members spaced from the ends of said frame, a rockshaftjournaled externally of said frame, said shaft having fastened theretospaced arms pivoted to the shift frame, and a single anti-frictionroller playing between a raceway in each frameend and a raceway in thecompanion member, the rollers co-operating with said shaft, arms, andmembers to guide the frame in case-shifting direction, said raceways andsingle roller being capable of pivoting movement relative to oneanother, in accordance with the slight rocking of the frame due to the'arcuate'path of the points of connection of said arms with said frame.

4. In a typewriting machine, mounting means for a case-shiftingplaten-frame including a plate spaced facewise from each end of theframe, each plate, presenting an inwardly-facing raceway cooperativewith an anti-friction roller to guide the frame in case-shiftingdirection, one of the plates having an inwardly facing inclined seat onwhich is seated a wedge-shaped block which presents the raceway,adjustment of said block on said inclined seat in the direction of saidraceway being effective to adjust said raceway toward or from theshift-frame.

5. In a typewriting machine, mounting means for a case-shiftingplaten-frame including a plate spaced from each end of the frame, eachplate having inwardly-extending bosses, presenting inwardly-facingraceways co-operative with antifriction rollers to guide the frame incase-shifting direction, one of the bosses having an inclined inner faceon which is seated a wedge-shaped block which presents the raceway,adjustment of said block on said inclined face in the direction of theraceway being eflective to adjust said raceway toward or from the shiftframe.

6. In a typewriting machine having type-carriers, arresting meanstherefor, a platen, a platen carriage, and a track-frame for guiding andshifting said carriage, means for supporting said track-frame for bodilycase-shifting movement and for independent adjustment of the printingplane of the platen, said means including rockarms hinged to saidtrackframe for effecting its case-shift movements, oppositeroller-bearings guiding said track-frame at opposite sides of the latterand coacting with said rock-arms, said track-frame being guided for caseshifting, partly by said roller-bearings and partly by said rockarms,opposite side plates upon which said trackframe is shifted up and downand adjusted forwardly and backwardly, said rock-arms being hinged tosaid side plates and said roller-bearings comprising balls running ingrooves in said side plates and track-frame, a guide for one of saidplates in each of the opposite sides of amain frame of said typewritingmachine to guide said plate forwardly and backwardly, and means foreffecting forward and backward adjusting of saidplates together withsaid rock-arms, roller-bearings, track-frame, platen-carriage and platenrelatively tothe printing plane of the platen at either side of themachine.

7. In a typewriting machine having type-carriers and arresting meanstherefor, and having a platen, a platen-carriage, and a track-frame forguiding and shifting said carriage, means for supporting saidtrack-frame for bodily case-shifting movement, said means includingrock-arms hinged to said track-frame for effecting its caseshiftmovements, opposite roller-bearings guiding said track-frame at oppositesides of the latter and coacting with said rock-arms, said trackframebeing guided for case shifting, partly by said roller-bearings andpartly by said rockarms, and side members of a main framework of thetypewriter, s aid rock-arms beinghinged to said main frame side members,said roller-bearaeeaoee ings including a raceway in each frame sidemember facing a companion raceway in said track-frame, a singleroller-ball playing in each pair of raceways, one of said raceways beingformed in means adjustable to regulate the contact between the racewaysand balls, whereby said single ball at each end of the track-frameco-operates to eliminate end play of said trackframe.

8. In a typewriting machine having type-carriers, arresting meanstherefor, a platen, a platencarriage, and a track-frame for guiding andshifting said carriage, means for supporting said track-frame for bodilycase-shifting movement and for independent adjustmentof the printingplane of the platen, said means including rockarms hinged to saidtrack-frame for effecting its case-shift movements, oppositeroller-bearings guiding said track-frame at opposite sides of the latterand coacting with said rock-arms, said track-frame being guided for caseshifting, partly by said roller-bearings and partly by said rockarms,opposite supports at said track-frame sides, said rock-arms being hingedto said supports, said roller-bearings including a raceway in eachsupport facing a companion raceway in said track-frame, a roller playingbetween the companion raceways, and means mounting and guiding saidsupports so that the latter may be adjusted forwardly or backwardly toeffect said printingplane adjustment.

9. In a typewriting machine having type-carriers, arresting meanstherefor, a platen, a platencarriage, and a track-frame for guiding andshifting said carriage, means for supporting said track-frame for bodilycase-shifting movement and for independent adjustment of the printingplane of the platen, said means including rockarms hinged to saidtrack-frame for effecting its case-shift movements, oppositeroller-bearings guiding said track-frame at opposite sides of the latterand coacting with said rock-arms, said track-frame being guided for caseshifting, partly by said roller-bearings and partly by said rockarms,opposite side plates uponwhich said trackframe is shifted up and downand adjusted f0r= wardly and backwardly, said rock-arms being hinged tosaid side plates and said rollerbearings comprising balls running ingrooves in said side plates and track-frame, a guide-for one of saidplates in each of the opposite sides of a main frame of said typewritingmachine to guide said plate forwardly and backwardly, means foreffecting forward and backward adjusting of said plates together withsaid rock-arms, roller-bear ings, track-frame, platen-carriage andplaten relatively to the printing plane of the platen at either side ofthe machine, and adjustable stops mounted upon said side plates forarresting said rock-arms, track-frame and carriage.

10. In a typewriting machine having type-bars, arresting means therefor,a platen, a platen-carriage, and a track-frame for guiding and shiftingsaid carriage; means supporting and guiding said track-frame for bodilycase-shift movement and for adjustment of the printing plane of theplaten, said means including side members of a main frame of thetypewriting machine, rock-arms hinged to said track-frame for effectingits caseshift movements, roller-bearings guiding said track-frame atopposite sides of the latter and co-operating with said rock-arms, saidtrackframe being guided for case-shifting, partly by saidroller-bearings and partly by said rock-arms, opposite side plates uponwhich said track-frame is shifted up and down and adjusted forwardly andbackwardly, said rock-arms being hinged to spurs embodied in said sideplates, and said rollerbearings comprising balls running in grooves insaid side plates and track-frame, and bosses projecting inwardly fromsaid main frame side members, the edges of said bosses forming guidingsplines engaging corresponding edges of said plates to guide the latterforwardly and backwardly for printing-plane adjustment, two of saidsplines engaging opposite edges of said spur of each side plate, andanother spline fitting a slot of the plate spaced from said two splinesin the direction of printing-plane adjustment.

WILLIAM A. DOBSON.

